Mangaluru, June 24,2017: Reports indicate that on the instructions of the Central govt, a new system will come into effect soon after fishing season starts from August 1. State Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader said subsidy for the purchase of kerosene by fishermen will be directly transferred to their bank accounts through RTGS, after they submit bills.

He is reported to have said the shortage of subsidised kerosene was pushing the traditional fishing sector of the coastal districts into crisis every year. In a ’permanent’ solution to the problem, the government is to credit the subsidy amount to the bank accounts of fishermen.

Accordingly, the fishermen will have to purchase kerosene in the open market. At present, the government is supplying 228 litres of kerosene at the rate of Rs 25 per litre to each boat per month. After the fishing season starts, August 1, the fishermen will have to buy the sanctioned quota of kerosene from the open market and produce the bill to get the subsidy.

The subsidy outgo for subsidised kerosene for the financial year 2017-18 is around Rs 60 crore, he noted. The traditional fishing sector is totally dependent on kerosene as fuel for boats, he said.

"Kerosene was distributed through public distribution system. But the central government has directed the state governments not to divert the kerosene meant for public distribution system for other purposes. Hence, the government has decided to change the system and allow fishermen to purchase white kerosene from open market and get the subsidy amount," the minister said.

Khader said that all the applications submitted for ration cards have been received online by the department which in turn has sent them to Janasnehi Kendras in each Gram Panchayat. The village assistants will verify the checklist details like Aadhaar card numbers of the applicants, family members and income criteria of the applicants. Once, he verifies and submits the records back to Janasnehi Kendras, the ration cards will be generated and sent to the applicants address through post, he explained.